Th17 and Th1 Lymphocytes Are Correlated with Chronic Periodontitis.

T cells are involved in the homeostasis of periodontal tissues and mediate bone loss in periodontitis, but the involvement of T-helper cells in chronic periodontitis (CP) in a Chinese population is still unclear. This study aimed to assess the distribution of peripheral and local T helper (Th17) and Th1 in CP. Sixty-eight patients with CP and 43 healthy controls were recruited from April 2012 to July 2014 at the Department of Stomatology, People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (China). The proportions of Th17 (CD3(+)CD4(+)IL-17(+)) and Th1 (CD3(+)CD4(+)IFN-γ(+)) T-cells in peripheral blood samples were assessed by flow cytometry. Immunohistochemistry was used to quantify interleukin-17 (IL-17) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) protein levels in gingival biopsy samples. mRNA levels of IL-17, IFN-γ RORγt, and T-bet in gingival biopsy samples were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The proportions of circulating Th17 cells and Th1 cells were both more abundant in CP patients than in controls (Th17: 1.05% ± 0.87% vs. 0.62% ± 0.49%, P < 0.01; Th1: 13.93% ± 7.94% vs. 8.22% ± 4.50%, P < 0.001). Positive correlations were obtained between the proportion of circulating Th17 cells and probing depth (PD) (r = 0.320, P = 0.001) and between the proportion of circulating Th1 cells and PD (r = 0.372, P < 0.001). IL-17 and IFN-γ protein levels in gingival biopsy samples were markedly increased in CP compared to controls (both P < 0.05). Relative IFN-γ, IL-17A, and T-bet mRNA levels in CP biopsies were higher compared to controls (all P < 0.05). These results suggest that elevated peripheral and local Th17 and Th1 cells might be involved in the pathogenesis of CP.

Surface engineering of carbon selenide nanofilms on carbon cloth: An advanced and ultrasensitive self-supporting binder-free electrode for nitrite sensing.

Large uptakes of nitrite have been proven to be detrimental to human health, therefore, the development of high-performance nitrite sensors is highly emergent. Herein, a carbon selenide nanofilms modified carbon fiber cloth (CSe2 NF/CC) electrode was obtained via in-situ synthesis to detect nitrite. The electrode integrates the collective merits of macroporous CC and pleated carbon selenide nanofilms, possessing a low overpotential of 0.83 V, a high electrochemical active surface area (EASA) of 5.39 cm2, great electrical conductivity, and fast charge transport as well as ion diffusion. The proposed electrode achieved a low limit of detection of 0.04 µmol L-1 (S/N = 3), a high sensitivity of 2048.56 µA mmol L-1 cm-2, excellent selectivity, and long-term stability. Additionally, the CSe2 NF/CC was successfully used for nitrite detection in different food samples such as pickled vegetables and sausage samples.

Self-production of oxygen system CaO2 /MnO2 @PDA-MB for the photodynamic therapy research and switch-control tumor cell imaging.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) holds promise in biochemical study and tumor treatment. A novel multifunctional nanosystem CaO2 /MnO2 @polydopamine (PDA)-methylene blue (MB) nanosheet (CMP-MB) was designed. CaO2 nanoparticles were encapsulated by MnO2 nanosheet, and then PDA was coated on the surface of CaO2 /MnO2 nanosheets, which could adsorb photosensitizer MB through hydrophobic interaction or π-π stacking. In this nanosystem, CaO2 /MnO2 had the ability of self-production of oxygen, which solved the problem of tumor hypoxia largely. Moreover, it is worth mentioning that the fluorescence of MB was suppressed by MnO2 , while its emission was triggered in the simulated tumor microenvironment. Therefore, CMP-MB nanosheet could be used to switch-control cell imaging potentially. 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide testing and Live/Dead assay confirmed CMP-MB nanosheet had fewer side effects without illumination while it destroyed Hela cell with the illumination of light. Vitro cell experiment demonstrated CMP-MB nanosheet could achieve tumor microenvironment responsive imaging and inhibit tumor cell growth under illumination effectively. Therefore, the system has great potential for PDT application and switch-control tumor cell imaging. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 2544-2552, 2018.

Selective solid-phase extraction of cholesterol using molecularly imprinted polymers and its application in different biological samples.

Non-covalent molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) of cholesterol were prepared by UV initiated polymerization. A polymer that had the highest binding selectivity and capability was used as solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbents for direct extraction of cholesterol from different biological samples (human serum, cow milk, yolk, shrimp, pork and beef). The extraction conditions of molecularly imprinted SPE (MISPE) were optimized and the optimum protocol was: conditioning MISPE cartridges with n-hexane, loading with n-hexane, washing with n-hexane and n-hexane:toluene=9:1, respectively, then eluting with chloroform:ethanol:acetic acid=3:1:1. Cholesterol MISPE selectively recognized, effectively trapped and pre-concentrated cholesterol over a concentration range of 10-80 microg/mL. Recoveries ranged from 80.6% to 92.7%, with R.S.D. lower than 9.8%. Under the optimal condition, MISPE recoveries of spiked human serum, yolk, cow milk, shrimp, pork and beef were 91.1%, 80.4%, 86.6%, 78.2%, 81.4% and 80.1%, respectively. Compared with C18 SPE, almost all of the matrix interferences were removed after MISPE, and better baselines and higher selectivity were achieved.

Facial nerve injuries associated with the retromandibular transparotid approach for reduction and fixation of mandibular condyle fractures.

PURPOSE: To document facial nerve (FN) injuries after surgical treatment of mandibular condylar fractures using the retromandibular transparotid approach and to identify risk factors associated with these injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of patients surgically treated for mandibular condylar fractures using the retromandibular transparotid approach over seven years was conducted. The primary study variable was the postoperative change in FN function after fracture fixation. Risk factors were categorized as demographic, anatomic, experience of the operator, fracture displacement/dislocation and number of miniplates placed at the fracture site. Appropriate statistics were computed. RESULTS: Ninety patients with 102 fractures were analysed. Thirty two fractures (31%) were located in the condylar neck and 70 fractures (69%) were subcondylar (located below the sigmoid notch). The condylar segment was undisplaced in twelve cases (12%), displaced medially in thirty five (34%), laterally displaced in thirty (29%) and dislocated in 25 (24.5%). In 18 fractures (18%), postoperative examination revealed various degrees of damage to the FN. All nerve injuries recovered completely in 8-24 weeks. In a multivariate model, condylar neck fractures, fracture dislocation and operator inexperience were associated with a statistically significant risk of postoperative deterioration of FN function (P ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSION: The majority of facial nerve injuries after surgical treatment of condylar fractures by the retromandibular transparotid approach are transient in nature. Condylar neck fractures, fracture dislocation and operator inexperience were associated with an increased risk for FN injury.

Selective solid-phase extraction of bisphenol A using molecularly imprinted polymers and its application to biological and environmental samples.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were prepared using bisphenol A (BPA) as a template by precipitation polymerization. The polymer that had the highest binding selectivity and ability was used as solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbents for direct extraction of BPA from different biological and environmental samples (human serum, pig urine, tap water and shrimp). The extraction protocol was optimized and the optimum conditions were as follows: conditioning with 5 mL methanol-acetic acid (3:1), 5 mL methanol, 5 mL acetonitrile and 5 mL water, respectively, loading with 5 mL aqueous samples, washing with 1 mL acetonitrile, and eluting with 3 mL methanol. MIPs can selectively recognize, effectively trap and preconcentrate BPA over a concentration range of 2-20 microM. Recoveries ranged from 94.03 to 105.3%, with a relative standard deviation lower than 7.9%. Under the optimal condition, molecularly imprinted SPE recoveries of spiked human serum, pig urine, tap water and shrimp were 65.80, 82.32, 76.00 and 75.97%, respectively, when aqueous samples were applied directly. Compared with C18 SPE, a better baseline, better high-performance liquid chromatography separation efficiency and higher recoveries were achieved after molecularly imprinted SPE.